Automatic hosiery inspection and turning apparatus



June 16, 1959 G. G. HARRALSON, JR 2,890,813

AUTOMATIC HOSIERY INSPECTION AND TURNING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 7, 1956 INVENTOR GEORGE GRAYSON HARRALSON Jr.

' ATTORNEYS AUTOMATIC HOSERY INSPECTION AND TURNING APPARATUS George Graysou Harralson, In, Princeton, Ky., assignor to Marvel Specialty Company, Paducah, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application February 7, 1956, Serial No. 563,888

12 Claims. (Cl. 223-43) This invention relates to hosiery inspection apparatus, and more particularly to an inspection apparatus for mens and childrens socks in which the hosiery is turned following an inspection operation.

In the manufacture of hosiery, it is the general prac tice to inspect the hosiery in inside-out position on an inspection form. After completion of the inspection operation, the hosiery is removed from the form and turned to right-side-out position for further processing.

Hosiery inspection forms of the prior art generally include an expander element for expanding the heel portion of the hosiery. In using such inspection forms, the hosiery is manually positioned on the form by the operator, the hosiery being oriented on the form in such manner that the heel portion of the hosiery is engaged and expanded by the heel expander element to facilitate inspection of the heel portion. The necessity for properly orienting the hosiery on the form so that the heel will be expanded tends to retard the inspection process with a consequent decrease in the over-all efliciency of the operation and a reduction in the output of the op erator.

A further disadvantage of most hosiery inspection apparatus of the prior art is the fact that any given apparatus is usually adapted to receive only a single size of hosiery, thereby requiring a separate inspection apparatus or an exchange of forms for different sizes of hosiery to be inspected.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a hosiery inspection apparatus including an inspection form on which the hosiery may be positioned substantially at random and still engage a heel expander element.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hosiery inspection apparatus including a plurality of inspection forms for receiving different sizes of hosiery.

In achievement of these objectives, there is provided in accordance with an embodiment of this invention a hosiery inspection and turning apparatus including a plurality of hollow cylindrical hosiery inspection forms mounted on a turret. The turret is rotatable to selectively place any one of the forms in pneumatic communication with an air pressure differential producing system which creates a vacuum on the interior of the hollow hosiery form in communication with the system. Each of the inspection forms includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced heel expander elements in the form of laterally extending fins which permit the hosiery to be placed on the form substantially at random and still have the heel portion of the hosiery expanded by the heel expander elements.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partially broken away, of a hosiery inspection and turning apparatus in accordance with the invention;

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Fig. 2 is a view in section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in section along line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Referring now to the drawing, the hosiery inspection and turning apparatus of the invention is generally indicated at 10 and includes a housing indicated in dotted outline at 12 in which is positioned a centrifugal blower generally indicated at 14. Blower 14 has an outlet duct 16 which communicates with a chamber 18. Chamber 18 decreases in diameter at one end to define the beginning of an elongated duct 20 which terminates in an enlarged outlet opening 22. A sack or other suitable receptacle 24 for receiving hosiery is connected to or disposed beneath outlet opening 22. Duct 20 is provided with a plurality of pressure relief openings 25 adjacent outlet opening 22 to relieve the air pressure in duct 20 adjacent outlet opening 22 so that hosiery will drop gently into receptacle 24.

A duct 26 of smaller diameter than chamber 18 passes through an opposite end of chamber 18 and extends for substantially the entire length of the chamber, terminating in a restricted opening 28 adjacent the beginning of duct 20. The opposite end 30 of duct 26 is suitably supported by the forward wall portion 32 of housing 12.

A circular turret 34 is supported for rotation in a vertical plane about an axis 36 by the forward wall portion 32 of housing 12, the turret lying in a vertical plane spaced a few inches forwardly of wall portion 32. A plurality of hollow cylindrical inspection forms 38, 40, 42 and 44 are mounted on turret 34 and are equally spaced in a radial direction from the central axis 36 about which the turret rotates. Axis 36 lies in the same horizontal plane as the axis of duct 26 but is laterally offset from the axis of duct 26 by a distance equal to the radial distance between axis 36 and the circle on which the axes of inspection forms 38, 40, 42 and 44 lie. The various inspection forms are of different diameters for the portions of their lengths which receive hosiery in order to accommodate hosiery of different sizes. Each of the inspection forms is open at its outer or free end.

Each of the inspection forms is supported for rotation by a bearing collar such as that indicated at 46 which permits each individual inspection form to be rotated about its own axis to facilitate positioning of the hosiery on the form. The inspection forms may project through their respective bearing collars and extend for a short distance beyond the opposite surface of the turret, as permitted by the spacing of the turret from wall portion 32 of housing 12. Alternatively, the bearing collars may include a short extension which projects from the surface of turret 34, which faces wall portion 32.

In order to connect the hosiery form being used with the duct 26, duct 26 is provided on the interior of its outer end 30 with a telescopically movable coupling sleeve indicated in dotted outline at 48. Coupling sleeve 48 is telescopically movable so as to be received entirely within the interior of duct 26, or so as to lie partially in duct 26 and partially in the hollow inspection form communicating with duct 26, or in the bearing collar which supports the inspection form. A pin or other similar element 50 extends from sleeve 48 through a slot 52 in duct 26 and permits the operator to telescopically slide sleeve 48 into or out of engagement with the end of one of the inspection forms. The inspection forms are of uniform diameter in their portion which engages telescopic sleeve 48. 7

Each hosiery inspection form includes a plurality of heel expander elements positioned adjacent but spaced from the open end of the respective form by a distance equal to the foot length of the hosiery being inspected. Thus, as best seen in Fig. 3, hosiery inspection form 40 includes four equally spaced fin members, each indicated at 54, extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the inspection form and extending longitudinally of the inspection form for a distance suflicient to properly expand the heel of the hosiery being inspected. Fins 54 maybe made of plastic or other suitable material and are rigidly attached to the outer surface of the inspection form. The use of the plurality of equally spaced heel expander elements 54 permits the operator to place the hosiery on the form substantially at random and still insure that the heel of the hosiery will engage one of the expander elements.

To count the hosiery passing through duct to re ceptacle 24, a counting device generally indicated at 56 is mounted on the outer surface of duct 20 and includes a sensing means 58 which extends into the interior of duct 20 and which is actuated by the passage .of each item of jhosiery to actuate the counting device 56.

In the operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described, turret 34 is rotated to align a desired hosiery inspection form with duct 26. When the inspection form has become properly aligned telescopically movable coupling sleeve 48 is moved by operating member 50 from a recessed position within duct 26 into an extended position where it passes into communication with an inspection form such as form 40 as shown in the drawings and thereby pneumatically couples the inspection form to duct 26. Blower 14 is turned on and discharges air under pressure through ,duct 16 into the interior of chamber 18, the air then passing through duct 20 and out through the outlet openings adjacent end .22 of duct 20. The air passing by outlet opening 28 of inner duct member 26 produces a vacuum inside of duct 26 and, consequently, inside of the hosiery inspection form connected to duct 26, such as form 40, for example.

The operator manually places the hosiery on the open end of the inspection form 36 and the heel portion .of the hosiery is expanded by one of the expander elements 54. Due to the provision of the plurality of expander elements 54, the operator may place the hosiery on the form substantially at random, thereby permitting the hosiery to be positioned on the form considerably faster than if only a single heel expander element were used requiring a particular orientation of the hosiery on .the form.

When the inspection operation is completed, the operator pushes the toeof the hosiery into the open mouth of the form and the suction .on the interior of the form draws the hosiery into the form and, :in so doing, reverses the hosiery from its inside-out position to a rightside-out position. The turned hosiery passes from the inspection form through duct 26 and through restricted opening 28 into duct '20. The pressure of the air blast from blower 14 blows the hosiery through duct 20, the hosiery passing out of outlet opening 22 of the duct into receptacle 24. The air .blast in duct 20 is relieved at the .outlet openings 25 near outlet opening 22 so that the hosiery drops gently into receptacle 24.

As each article of hosiery passes through duct 20, it actuates sensing means 58 and causes counting device 56 to register an additional unit.

It can be seen from the foregoing that there is provided in accordance with this invention a hosiery inspection and turning apparatus which represents an improvement over the prior art. The provision of the plurality of hosiery inspection forms mounted on the rotatable turret permits the inspection apparatus to accommodate a plurality of different sizes .of hosiery. Furthermore, the provision of the plurality of heel expander elements on each inspection form greatlyfacilitates-the inspection operation since the operator may position the hosiery substantially at random on the inspection form and still be assured that the heel will be expanded by one of the expander elements. This increases the efliciency of the inspection operation and increases the production capacity of the worker and of the machine.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means, means connected to said duct means to produce a pneumatic pressure differential in said duct means, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret and each having a hosiery-receiving passage extending there; through, and means mounting said turret and said duct means for movement relative to each other to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means.

2. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret and each having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, and means mounting said turret and said duct means for movement relative to each other to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic comrnunication with said duct means.

3. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms rotatably mounted on said turret to turn about the longitudinal axis of the forms and each having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, and means mounting said turret for rotation to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means.

.4. A hosiery inspection apparatus comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret in circumferentially spaced relation to each other and uniformly spaced from the center of said turret, each of said forms having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, and means mounting said turret for rotation about an axis extending through the center of said turret but offset from the axis of said duct means to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means.

5. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, said duct means having an opening in an end thereof, a turret positioned adjacent said opening and mounted for rotation about an axis offset from the center of said opening, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, each of said forms having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, the axis of each of said forms being radially spaced from the axis of rotation of said turret by a distance equal to the amount of offset of said axis of said turret from the center of said opening, the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms being selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said opening by rotation of said turret.

6. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a-duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential and having a hosiery-receiving end opening lying on the axis of said duct means, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means and rotatable about an axis offset from the axis of said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, each of said forms having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, the longitudinal axis of each of said forms being radially spaced from the axis of rotation of said turret by a distance equal to the amount of offset of said axis of said turret from the axis of said duct means, the hosieryreceiving passages of the respective hosiery forms being selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said hosiery-receiving opening of said duct means by rotation of said turret.

7. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms, means carried by said turret for supporting said forms and mounting each of said forms for rotation about its own respective axis, each of said forms having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, and means mounting said turret for rotation to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means.

8. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure difierential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret and each having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, means mounting said turret for rotation to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means, and telescopically movable coupling means joining said duct means to the hosiery form communicating with said duct means.

9. A hosiery inspecting and everting device comprising a duct means connected to a source of pneumatic pressure differential, a turret positioned adjacent said duct means, a plurality of hosiery forms mounted on said turret and each having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, each form including an outer hosiery-receiving end having an opening communicating with said passage, each form having a plurality of circumferentially spaced heel expander elements extending radially therefrom adjacent said end of said form, and means mounting said turret for rotation to permit the hosiery-receiving passages of the respective hosiery forms to be selectively placed in pneumatic communication with said duct means.

10. A hosiery inspection apparatus comprising a hosiery form having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, said form including an outer hosiery-receiving end having an opening communicating With said passage, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced arcuately curved heel expander fins fixed to and projecting radially from said form adjacent said end, each of said fins being longitudinally oriented with respect to said form.

11. A hosiery inspection apparatus comprising a hosiery form having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, said form including an outer hosiery-receiving end having an opening communicating with said passage, and four circumferentially spaced arcuately curved heel expanded fins fixed to and projecting radially from said form in uniformly spaced relation to said end, each of said fins being longitudinally oriented with respect to said form.

12. A hosiery inspection apparatus comprising a hosiery form having a hosiery-receiving passage extending therethrough, said form including an outer hosiery-receiving end having an opening communicating with said passage, four circumferentially spaced arcuately curved heel expander fins fixed to and projecting radially from said form in uniformly spaced relation to said end, each of said fins being longitudinally oriented with respect to said form, and means mounting said form for rotation about its longitudinal axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 604,512 Barrie May 24, 1898 1,378,646 Baum May 17, 1921 2,092,806 Kalbach et al Sept. 14, 1937 2,363,380 Ammon Nov. 21, 1944 2,601,229 Shoaf et al June 24, 1952 

